Chicago

The Minnesota Wild re-signed left wing Stephane Veilleux to a two-year, two-way contract Wednesday. The 31-year-old Veilleux played most of last season with Houston in the AHL. As a late call-up for more energy for the fourth line, he appeared in two of Minnesota’s playoff games against Chicago. The two-way contract means he’ll have a lesser salary if he’s in the minors. The Wild have moved their AHL affiliate to Iowa for the 2013-14 season.

The National Weather Service was tracking a so-called derecho weather pattern in the Midwest on Tuesday that could spawn severe windstorms in major metropolitan areas with gusts as strong as 100 mph. Derecho windstorms occur once every year or two across the central and northeastern U.S. in a band from Texas to New England. They pack hazardous winds of at least 75 mph or more and maintain their intensity for hours as they sweep across vast distances.

A Chicago man has been accused of prostituting a 15-year-old in the St. Paul area, and beating her so bad that he nearly killed her, too. According to a criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County, 38-year-old Arteco Marvell Rhodes was charged with one count of first-degree engaging in sex trafficking, one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, and one count of possession of child pornography.

Duluth police have released the name of a 36-year-old man who died after crashing his bicycle into a pole. Officers saw Koantonio Dean Farley of Duluth riding his bicycle at a high rate of speed in downtown Duluth Wednesday. Police say Farley had crossed the street and was trying to go up a ramp when he hit a pole.

Bryan Bickell scored in overtime on a two-on-one rush, and the Chicago Blackhawks started the playoffs on a winning note after dominating the regular season, beating the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on Tuesday night.

Volunteers worked into the night to stack sandbags against rising Midwest floodwaters and evacuate people in its path — or rescue those already under water — after a powerful spring storm system unleashed downpours from Oklahoma to Michigan.